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Recovery Implementation Proqram <br />1.3 SUMMARY <br />• ....Institutional Arranoements - -It is anticipated that a Recovery Implementation <br />Committee (implementation Committee) will be created immediately and charged <br />with overseeing the oeveloDment and implementation of specific recommendations <br />for each of the recovery elements. This committee will be composed of <br />representatives from Eeoeral agencies, the three States, water oeveloDment <br />interests, and conservation organizations. Under this proaram, it is exDected- <br />that all parties will implement the Implementation Committee's recommendations <br />as legally appropriate. However, this program cannot, and does not in any <br />way, diminish or detract from or add to the Secretary's ultimate <br />responsibility for administering the Endangered Species Act. Nor is it <br />intended to affect the authorities and responsibilities of the States to <br />manaae and administer their water and wildlife resources. <br />Recove-v 'lements -The recovery proaram contains five principal elements, <br />summarized in the following section. Each element will be imDiemented and <br />evaluated on an ongoin basis to determine its effectiveness toward recovery <br />and to provide a balanced contribution from all activities. <br />This program establishes a unioue approach for protecting instream Mows for <br />rare fish species' habitat. First, a new fund will be created to be used for <br />acouisition of water rights and other prDDerty interests. Second, the <br />1molementation Committee will be responsible for seeing that the Service <br />expeditiously determines flow reouirements. The imDlementation Committee will <br />make final recommendations on strategies for establishing instream riows after <br />consultation with State and other experts. It is exDected that the Service <br />will carry out the implementation Committee's recommendations on flow <br />aCOuisition but will do so by working with the State agencies tnat are <br />responsible for instream flow protection. Under this proaram, water rights <br />will be appropriated, acouired, and aaministered pursuant to State law. <br />Reclamation will assist in meeting instream flow reouirements for the rare <br />fish through the refined operations of rlamino Gorge, Blue Mesa, and Ruedi <br />Reservoirs in a manner consistent with all applicable laws. <br />Because the recovery program is intended to provide water rights for instream <br />f'i ows for rare fish, the Service w i l l cons i oer this aDDroacn under Sect i on i <br />consultation as offsetting oepleti0n impacts. Inrouon tnis aDDroacr. <br />depletion impacts of pr000sed water and water- related projects would no <br />likely jeopardize endangered species if the program is imDiementec and prejec: <br />proponents participate in and contribute toward conservation measures under <br />this program. NonoeDietion impacts (direct impacts) of water Drojects suss as <br />thcse caused by construction, inundation, or temperature modi- ications <br />resulting from reservoir releases will, however, still be subject to <br />imDlementation of alternatives or recommendations to offset such impacts <br />pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. <br />While flow Drotection is imDortant to the maintenance of rare fish habitat, <br />development and enhancement of nonflow habitat tecnnioues will also contribute <br />to a balanced aDoroach to the species' recovery. The habitat peveloDment <br />comDonent of this program envisions that habitat management :.ecnnioues will De <br />• thoroughly tested in the field to assess their effectiveness. Those habitat <br />management technioues that are determined to be useful to recovery will then <br />' -7 <br />